IFW Backup Batch Script by Tom Cole - 01-Mar-2024

[TAC109]

31-Jan-2020 Vn 4.14 - Bug fix.

- Fixed an error in three of the 'MyDefrag' scripts.
- Changed the 'MyDefrag' scripts to not defrag 'swapfile.sys'.

[skunk]

I'm way late, but these scripts are amazing. Much <3.

[TAC109]

Thanks for the compliment!

[YesAndNo]

I've been using these scripts for a long time, they've been great.
Something strange happened today though, I got a 'disk full' error message part way through backup. It didn't delete old backups as would be normal. I did however force a full backup as I'd made changes to partition size, don't know if that could be the problem. Other than that, maybe I've got something set up wrong.

If you have any ideas on this, please let me know.
Many thanks.

[TAC109]

Hi YesAndNo

The script calculates the space required for the next full backup based on the size of the previous full backup multiplied by a percentage. If the backup sizes are very different then the script can run out of space, as you have found. (The percentage to be used in the calculation is specified by the 'msf' entry in the IFW_Env.cmd file, and the default is usually set to 130).

If you start the script from the 'IFW Backup - Options' shortcut, there is a menu item '2 - Space needed for next backup' where you can enter the number of megabytes estimated for the next backup. After specifying this, when you run the next backup, sufficient old backups will be deleted to free up at least that amount of space.

Hope this helps and you are keeping well.

[YesAndNo]

Thanks a lot Tom, I appreciate it.
Difficult to guess the size of the next backup though, I suppose take the size of the last full and add 50% or something, or maybe double it. Will give it a go.
Thanks again.

[TAC109]

If you look at the stats from the start of the failed run you can then use menu item 2 to input a size that will force the script to delete the oldest backup (full plus associated changes). Hopefully there will then be enough room to repeat your last backup successfully. You can repeat this procedure if necessary.

Edit: If there is no 'Sz' shown in the stats, take the 'Free' value and add on a bit more. Use this value as the 'Space needed for next backup' size.

Edit2: If there is a 'Sz' shown in the statistics, the calculation is 'Sz' - 'Used' + 'Need'. Then add on a bit more and use this value as the 'Space needed for next backup' size.

[TAC109]

Updated 14-Jan-2022 Vn 4.15 - Enhancements.

• IFW_Backup can now automatically wait up to a specified maximum
  number of seconds to allow any offline folders to come on-line
  prior to proceeding with the backup. This new facility can also
  take place when running under TBWinPE/RE. (There is no need to
  regenerate the TBWinPE/RE environment to use this facility.) The
  maximum wait time is specified in the new 'set mw' entry in the
  IFW_Env.cmd file, and defaults to 45 seconds.
• Date and time processing has been changed to handle more regions
  and to avoid possible roll-over problems at midnight.
• Detection of %Temp% folders has been improved when running under
  TBWinPE/RE.
• There is now a 'MyDefrag' script (and its _test equivalent) to
  minimally defragment SSD's before a full backup.

[TAC109]

01-Mar-2022 Vn 4.16 - Enhancements and bug fixes.

• IFW_Backup now handles backups protected by TeraByte's 'ProtectIt'
  driver. See the 'set bak' and 'set dat' entries in the
  IFW_Env.cmd file for more details. (Also, if you need to move
  existing backups to the new folder structure, see
  IFW_Read_Me_n.nn.txt => 'Options' => 'M - Maintain Control Files
  menu' => option 'C - Change Backup Folder Name'.)
• Added a new optional 'set rax' entry to the IFW_Env.cmd file to
  copy the latest specified number of logs to the IFW installation
  folder so that these can be viewed with the 'TBI Notify' utility.
• The IFW_Installer will adjust the 'set ifw' entry in the user's
  IFW_Env.cmd file(s) to refer to the '\Program Files(x86)\' folder
  directly if needed. (Used for the new 'set rax' entry above.)
• Fixed a bug where the warning message 'Next backup will be full'
  could be incorrectly shown if a Change-only backup was selected
  in the Options menu.
• Fixed the error message shown for a parameter error.

07-Mar-2022 Vn 4.17 - Enhancements and bug fixes.

• Fixed the creation of the IFW_Data folder on first run which failed sometimes.
• Improved the formatting of the 'Display backup statistics' option.

03-Aug-2022 Fixed download link.

See these screenshots for how to change the backup folder name. (More screenshots at beginning of this thread.)

[anastrophe]

Hey there!
First, a huge THANK YOU, Mr. Cole, for this application. I've been using IFW_Backup for years and years, and it has saved my bacon a number of times. Oh, I back up all my stuff using iDrive, which is reasonably good for standard 'cloud' backup and backup to an external drive just to cover all bases, but iDrive has its shortcomings, and I don't trust their 'imaging' options for my boot drive. Why? Because IFW_Backup works perfectly, and as above has helped me recover from disaster a number times. Why change when it works perfectly??

That said, I just downloaded 4.17, in order to upgrade my 4.14 installation, as I am getting errors at startup, likely due to the changes in the most recent release of Image for Windows. The problem is - contrary to the 'read me first' document, there is no IFW_Backup_Set_up_4.17.exe in the IFW_Backup.zip that I just downloaded via the link in your post above, at least not in the main folder space, where expected. There is a copy of IFW_Backup_Set_up_4.17.exe within the 'Archives/IFW_Backup_4.17.zip subfile - but I'm reluctant to just copy that over, since any deviation from documentation/spec is always suspect, I'm sure you'd agree.

Can you advise?

And again, I can't stress enough - THANK YOU. It's a brilliant bit of 'kit' as they say. I am remiss in not extending my thanks much, much sooner.